The San Mateo County Green Team is pleased to announce a lunchtime lecture series for county employees and the public interested in learning about sustainability. The "Green Bag" lectures will cover a wide variety of environmental topics from green transportation to healthy home cleaning products.

2010 Presentations

The Green Bag presentations have moved! The talks will still be held the first Wednesday of every month from 12-1, but will be in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, at 400 County Center, Redwood City. Pack a lunch and come and join us in our efforts to green San Mateo County.

People who cannot attend the presentation may watch it remotely. Select Green Bag Lectures from the top left menu bar.

January 6th - Simple, Easy Ways to Make your Home More Comfortable
     Suzanne Emerson, Emerson Environmental
     Note new location: Board of Supervisors chambers, 400 County Center,
     Redwood City

February 3rd - Wonder What Happens With Your Old Electronics?
     Sheila Davis, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition

March 3 - Screening of documentary movie "Food, Inc."
     11:30 - 1 PM (Optional Discussion 1-1:30 PM)
     This film reveals surprising and often shocking truths about what we eat,
     and how it's produced.

April 7 - Local Wild Places and Friendly Spaces
     Learn about the San Mateo County Parks
     Cecily Harris of the San Mateo County Parks Department

May 5 - Greening your Remodel, with a Tax Break
     Learn how to donate your re-usable building materials from a home,
     kitchen, or bath remodel, as well as how you can find salvaged
     materials for your project!
     Ron Whittaker, The ReUse People of America

June 2 - Greywater in Action: Why Let Good Water Go Down the Drain?
     Learn how to reuse greywater (relatively clean water from sinks and
     showers, after use there) at home, whether you are building from the
     ground up, renovating your home, or just ready to try some
     do-it-yourself projects.
     Laura Allen of Greywater Action

July 7 - GreenPoint Rating: What's the Point? A healthier, more efficient home.
     John Eckstein, GreenPoint rater with The Performing Home will explain
     how the GreenPoint rating system helps builders and homeowners make
     design choices that save energy and materials, create a healthier home,
     and comply with County green building requirements.

August 4 - Clean Beaches, Healthy Oceans
     Eben Schwartz of the California Coastal Commission will provide
     information about Coastal Cleanup Day, the state's largest volunteer
     event, and how citizens like you can participate, and Ana Clayton,
     Coastal Cleanup Day coordinator for San Mateo County, will tell
     you how to get involved locally on Coastal Cleanup Day and
     throughout the year.

September 1 - Eating Your Way Through Your Landscape!
     Deva Luna, sustainable landscape designer for EarthCare Landscaping,
     will inspire you to incorporate edibles in your own landscaping with pictures,
     great ideas, and a list of recommended plants.

2009 Presentations

January 7th - Taking the Bite out of Global Warming;
     Delicious Ways to Save The World
     Laura Stec, Local chef and author of Cool Cuisine -
     Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming

February 4 - Basics of Green Remodeling
     Kirsten Flynn - Sustainable Home

March 4 - Smart Gardening; Beautiful Landscapes for Less Water
     Deva Luna, EarthCare Landscaping

April 1 - Green Spring Cleaning
     Ann Blake, Ph.D., Environmental & Public Health Consulting

May 6 - Going Beyond the Prius
     Affordable options for clean, efficient travel
     Note: Vehicle display at County Center Plaza, Redwood City

June 3 - Safer Personal Care Products
     How to look and feel good without risking your health
     Rebecca Sutton, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Environmental Working Group

July 1 - Getting a Home Check-Up
     A Prescription for a Comfortable Home

August 5 - Save Energy at Home and Get Paid for It
     Herb Gong, PG&E Energy Efficiency and Rebate Expert

September 2 - Creating a Safer and Healthier Home
     David Edwards, Ph.D., Earth Bound Homes

October 7 - Preparing for a Winter Vegetable Garden
     Alane Weber, Professional Organic Gardener

November 4 - Finding New Uses for Common Things: Reuse in Action
     Matthew Levesque, Building Resources
     Shawn Rosenmoss, San Francisco Department of the Environment
     Come and see how one person went a whole year without buying anything
     new and learn about simple, practical ways you can creatively give
     common objects a new function.

December 2 - Toxic Testing for Holiday Gifts
     (plastic toys, for example)
     Caroline Cox, Center for Environmental Health